Chapter 18 (Week of 3/9/09)

I found some of the facts given in this chapter particularly interesting. For example, I did not know that the laws involving cocaine use were so prejudiced. The use of crack cocaine, which is cheaper and used more in communities of color, holds a higher penalty than the use of cocaine powder, which is more expensive and used more in upscale white communities. Laws such as this perpetuate the discrimination against minorities in our judicial system. Programs, such as housing projects, keep minorities contained in one area, which also perpetuates racial discrimination. I also found it interesting that reading scores are used to predict imprisonment needs. According to the latest scores, the need for prisons will increase in the future. The prison system itself is prejudiced. By removing libraries and educational programs, prisons are proving to be less about rehabilitation and more about punishment these days. These facts do not bode well for the education system. There is major inequality in education and it is the educators job to fight for equality in schools and also in society as a whole.